


Escaping the Veil

by bethany81707



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem: Soen no Kiseki/Akatsuki no Megami | Fire Emblem Path of Radiance/Radiant Dawn
Genre: Arranged Marriage, Flash Fic, Gen, Knighthood, Referenced Astrid/Makalov, Toxic Relationships, common ground
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-22
Packaged: 2021-03-12 23:42:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29642502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethany81707/pseuds/bethany81707
Summary: Ingrid is sent to meet a knight of Crimea to talk about their shared experiences.
Kudos: 3





	Escaping the Veil

Ingrid looked curiously around the Tellius quarters, shooting curious looks at the people walking around with cat ears and tails, and those with bird wings. No one else seemed to be doing the same, and eventually, Ingrid took her eyes off them and checked the description of the person she had been invited to meet. The woman with raven hair, white armour with pink highlights, a bow and a crest depicting a tree was looking around like she was as lost as her, which seemed like a good place to start a conversation.

“Astrid Damiell of House… Crimea, right? Ingrid Galatea, House Galatea,” Ingrid said, holding out her hand for a shake.

“Uh… just Dame Astrid, isn’t it? I don’t know much about this whole ‘House Crimea’ business- wouldn’t that be Queen Elincia’s thing? I’m just a knight in the Crimean Royal Army,” Astrid said.

“You’re a knight? How did that go? I want to be a knight so I can… well, it would be really nice,” Ingrid said excitedly. Astrid seemed quite taken aback.

“Well, I joined the Begnion army to make my escape from my parents, who were quite keen on marrying me off to a man several decades my senior. And then I wound up enlisting with the Crimeans, and then I started getting to know Makalov… what a fine knight he is,” Astrid explained.

“But you’re still going to be at his side on the battlefield, right?” Ingrid asked.

“Huh? Sure, sure… you agree Makalov has his moments, right? No one believes me, not even here…” Astrid asked.

“Hey… are you Ingrid?” another Astrid’s voice asked. Ingrid turned around, noticing an Astrid that looked only a little younger, yet seemingly more mature. The first one she met must have dashed, because Ingrid lost sight of her when she turned back around.

“Who…” Ingrid began.

“I’m Dame Astrid Damiell, three years younger than that one and fresh off the Mad King’s War. A silver haired maiden of Fodlan requested I speak with you. I see you’ve met my… future,” Astrid said.

“Oh, she can’t be that bad. What’s this Makalov fellow like, anyway?” Ingrid asked.

“He’s Marcia’s layabout brother, wiling away his days gambling away coins he doesn’t have. I always did have a soft spot for him, but seeing  _ her _ mooning after him… I’m curious how Makalov redeems himself. I also don’t want to ask, either…” Astrid said.

“I have a friend with a… well, OK, it’s not a similar issue at all. He flirts incessantly at anything bearing the slightest passing resemblance to a woman. I keep him in line with regular scoldings. Well, try to. I’m the only one who bothers, and it clearly doesn’t stick. Forget I said anything, I’m clearly not meant to be the one giving advice here,” Ingrid said.

“Too much flirting? I know a guy like that too. Mine’s a mercenary called Gatrie, and he’s the only guy who didn’t ask too many questions about why I wanted to take a leave of absence from Begnion. I owe my freedom to him. He’s a bit dim, though, so I’m glad Ike came along to get me in a better support system,” Astrid said.

“You seem awfully permissive of your friends’ flaws,” Ingrid observed. Astrid shrugged.

“Perhaps that is my flaw, then. Perhaps that’s what causes me to turn into someone desperately trying to cling to a wreck of a man I believe to be noble and just. So what’s your problem, then, Ingrid?” Astrid asked. Ingrid opened her mouth, ready to say it was that she desperately wanted her dream to be a knight to be taken seriously, but the words didn’t quite make it up. Unbidden, the image of a Dimitri in five years time that had been shared with her- an unkempt beast of a man with no regard for personal care, raving maniacally about dues to the dead- came to the forefront of her thoughts.

“I… I want to be free, too. I don’t want to marry young and breed until my womb kills me. But if my family and people are to not starve to death, that’s the only way they’ll get their income,” Ingrid said.

“I don’t want to call you a liar, but… are you  _ sure _ the money from a marriage deal is going to make an impact on your home’s prosperity? My family’s married off three of my sisters to wealthy men and it’s not like we’re rolling in money,” Astrid pointed out. Ingrid took a moment to remember what the last answer to that question she got was.

“Something about trade routes? Or… getting some money to start a better farming plan or something? I…” Ingrid began.

“It’s honourable that you care so much for your people, but you’d be much more valuable to them free to establish your own economic value than given up as the prize possession to a noble who doesn’t care about your land other than the fact he now owns it because he has the bride to show for it. Are women just treated that badly in Fodlan?” Astrid asked.

“Well, of course not, Edelgard got to be Empress, after all,” Ingrid said.

“Hm. So who have you asked for help? King too far out of reach?” Astrid asked.

“King Lambert is dead. I was… am friends with Prince Dimitri, but there’s no way he could afford to help Galatea out. He’s got the rest of Faerghus’s needs to consider,” Ingrid said.

“You’re a part of Faerghus too, Ingrid. It reflects badly on him if he’s letting you starve,” Astrid said.

“Galatea were traitors to Leicester. That’s why we got cursed with fallow land by the goddess,” Ingrid explained.

“Oh, of course, that makes perfect sense now,” Astrid snarked.

“...At least I’m not hopelessly in love with a crook,” Ingrid said.

“Low blow, Ingrid. And to be completely honest… I’d think twice about saying that if I were you,” Astrid said, leaving Ingrid to those thoughts.


End file.
